DWSim simulation of biodiesel production and gasification from Jatropha curcas biomass

Abstract

Process simulation plays an important role in the development of new technologies and enables assistance in the design, operation and optimization of plants. In the present investigation, the simulation in DWSim of the transesterification processes of Jatropha curcas oil and the shell gasification. In the simulation of the biodiesel production process, five stages were used: methoxide preparation, transesterification, alcohol recovery, glycerol separation, washing and biodiesel purification. The simulation of gasification was carried out using a stoichiometric model taking into account the fundamental reactions present in the pyrolysis, combustion and reduction stages that occur in a downstream gasifier. The products obtained from the transesterification process brought high yields: 11% glycerol and 98% biodiesel. The properties of the biodiesel obtained were compared with the ASTM D6751 standard. The composition of the synthesis gas obtained in the gasification process corresponds to those reported in literature. A gas volumetric flow of 92.38 m3/h was obtained with a lower heating value of 5.67 MJ/Nm3, properties that established a 72% efficiency of the process. Due to the limitations found during the simulation, a validation was carried out in Aspen Plus showing similar results.